Kyrgios feeling good for Wimbledon attack

FREE of injury and in a positive headspace, Nick Kyrgios says he has never felt better heading into Wimbledon.

The 2014 quarter-finalist has finally shrugged off severe elbow soreness and boasts victories over class grass courters Andy Murray, Feliciano Lopez and Kyle Edmund in an ideal preparation.

“I think it’s the best I’ve felt,” he said ahead of a potentially dangerous clash with Denis Istomin.

“I’ve never really won many matches before Wimbledon, so to come in this time playing two solid weeks against tough opponents, that’s probably the best I’ve ever felt about my game coming on the grass.

“But then again, anything can happen — Istomin can come out firing. That’s why I have to be ready to go from the get-go.”

Asked if Wimbledon was his best chance of lifting one of the four majors, Kyrgios said: “Yeah, for sure. I grew up on the grass when I was a young kid. I played a lot on the grass courts, I know how to play on it, I feel extremely comfortable on it. So yeah, out of the four [majors] I think it’s my best shot.

“If I put my mind to it and really focus, take one match at a time, I feel like I’m physically a lot better than a couple of years ago, and much stronger. A lot of things have to fall into place but I’m going to take it one match at a time.”

Seeded 15th, Kyrgios’s most pressing challenge is bridging the gulf between the regular Tour best-of-three-set format to dealing with seven grand slam marathons.

“Just putting it together over two weeks isn’t something I’ve done before,” he said.

“And it’s not something many people have done.

“I’m just gonna try and get through my first round, that’s where all my focus is at the moment.

“I didn’t look throughout the draw who my seeds are, anything like that. I’m just focused on my first opponent.”

Kyrgios leads nine compatriots into the fray.

Matt Ebden, John Millman, Alex de Minaur, James Duckworth, Jordan Thompson, Alex Bolt, Jason Kubler, John-Patrick Smith and Bernard Tomic are the others.